Early Tuesday morning, Ursula Murray Husted, an assistant professor in comic and sequential art at the university, posted on Twitter: "We lost a bright spark yesterday to an act of senseless violence — Hussain Saeed Alnahdi didn't pass. He was stolen."

Bethany Risler, an admissions counselor at the UW-Stout, wrote in a Facebook post that she recruited Alnahdi and the two exchanged emails while he was still learning English.

“My heart is breaking for his family. May he rest in peace,” she said in the post.

Officials are asking that anyone with information come forward to help find Alnahdi’s attacker.

"I want to make a personal appeal to anyone on campus or in the community who might have information that would help authorities locate the individual involved in the attack to come forward," Meyer said.

Anyone with information about the assault is asked to call Menomonie police Investigator Kelly Pollock at (715) 231-8511. Anonymous information can also be submitted by visiting dunncocrimestoppers.com or by calling (855) 847-3866.